


Back in the Ring

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [417]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Post Civil War, Rhodey sticking up for Tony, could be brotp, not team Cap friendly, the shipping is light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 10:07:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10851762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: Team Cap is back, and Tony forgot how awful they can be sometimes.





	Back in the Ring

So far, the entire meeting has been a mess of Tony white-knuckling it through to the end and wishing for a drink he won’t have.

It’s the first time he’s had to talk to them personally, face-to-face. They’ve been in contact through intermediaries for six months now, but as the de-facto head of the Avengers, Tony has to be there for kicking off this process of re-instating them. No one asked his opinion on that, which is probably a good thing.

He’s held his tongue and kept the meeting going. Professional, calm. Cool. Concerned about the fate of the world.

Tony can take a few hits where they matter.

But it’s not easy. Maybe it’s being a year out of practice of taking said hits. Going soft, his new team around him. Maybe it’s the stress.

“Alright, but signing is a non-negotiable part of this deal,” Tony points out. “We can talk more amendments if that’s on your mind, but the fact of the matter is that the UN doesn’t trust your team without a signature saying you’ll play by the rules. It’s non-optional.”

“Because Stark always gets his way, right? Even if he has to break up a team, chase people out of their goddamn home, threaten to lock them up, and brow-beat them into it first.”

Tony blinks, takes a deep, shuddering breath, and continues. “You can take that up with the UN, I suppose. As far as your equipment–”

“That you stole–”

That I built, Tony wants to scream, hundreds of hours of sweat and tears and sometimes literal blood going into equipment they misused, didn’t appreciate. Certainly didn’t appreciate the creator.

The next breath is shakier. “They’re prepared to offer you loans of it once your name hits the page, and–”

“That belongs to us.”

“It doesn’t,” Rhodey says, speaking up for the first time in several minutes. He pushes himself to stand, a slow, laborious process. “It belongs to its creator, who lost sleep over it, gave up his own time and money to build it. Who you’ve disrespected again and again, and if it were up to me, I’m letting you know we wouldn’t be having these talks now. Unfortunately I don’t control the universe and have to contend with what’s coming. Now. We’re calling a break. See you tomorrow.”

Rhodey strong-arms Tony out of the room, no small feat considering he insisted on wearing his braces despite the fact that they still need a lot of work. Still, Tony goes willingly enough, more out of shock than anything else. Numbness.

“You okay, Tones?”

“No,” Tony says honestly. His therapist would be proud to hear the honesty, but if there’s anyone who will allow it, it’s Rhodey. Always, Rhodey.

“Yeah, no shit. Dumb question. What can I do?”

“Just…wait it out with me.”

Someone pulls a car around for them and Rhodey puts up the privacy partition right away, then opens his arms. “C'mere.”

Tony’s breath is shallow and broken, shuddering. “Christ,” he mumbles.

“Assholes.”

Tony wants to laugh but it sounds too wet, too broken. Rhodey squeezes him.

“I can go back and yell at them.”

“The universe doesn’t bow to our whims.”

“That mean no yelling?”

“Unfortunately.” Tony holds for a moment. “At least not until this is done.”

“I’ll save it up then. Make it a good one.”

Tony does manage to laugh a bit that time.


End file.
